1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a radiator support. The resulting radiator support can be disposed between a radiator and a vehicle-side installation member to elastically support the radiator.
2. Description of the Related Art
A radiator support is disposed between a radiator and a vehicle-side installation member, and accordingly supports the radiator elastically in a floating manner. The radiator support utilizes the radiator as an inertial mass in order to suppress the vibrations of a vehicle body.
As disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication (KOKOKU) No. 60-11,317, such a radiator support has been known. For example, a conventional radiator support is constructed as illustrated in FIG. 9.
As shown in FIG. 9, the conventional radiator support includes a rubber-elastic member 200, an inner tube fitting 202, and an outer tube fitting 204. The inner tube fitting 202 is buried in an inner side of the rubber elastic member 200, and the outer tube fitting 204 is buried in an outer side thereof. The rigid inner and outer tube fittings 202 and 204 have a thickness of about 1.2 mm, respectively. The conventional radiator support is fitted into an engagement hole 208 of a vehicle-side installation member 206 at the outer peripheral end in which the outer tube fitting 204 is buried. Moreover, an engagement pin 210 extends downward from a radiator, and is fitted into the inner peripheral end of the conventional radiator support in which the inner tube fitting 202 is buried. Thus, the conventional radiator support is assembled between the radiator and the vehicle-side installation member 206.
In the conventional radiator support, the relative displacements between the vehicle-side installation member 206 and the radiator are absorbed mainly by the elastic deformations of an intermediate member 212 in the rubber-elastic member 200.
Based on the conventional radiator support, it is possible to think of modifying the conventional radiator support by employing a rigid inner tube member and a rigid outer tube member which are made from a resinous material, and by connecting the rigid inner tube member and the rigid outer tube member with a rubber-elastic member being interposed therebetween. If such is the case, it is possible to decrease the overall weight of the conventional radiator support, and at the same time to reduce the manufacturing cost thereof.
When producing the thus modified conventional radiator support, one can think of producing it in the following manner. Namely, the rubber-elastic member is molded independently in advance, the rubber-elastic member is set in a mold for molding a resinous product and a resinous material is injected into the mold with the rubber-elastic member set therein, thereby molding the rigid inner tube member and the rigid outer tube member, and simultaneously integrating the resultant rigid inner tube member and rigid outer tube member with the rubber-elastic member.
However, even if such a production process is possible, there arises problems. For instance, when a resinous material is injected into the mold with the rubber-elastic member simply set therein, the rubber-elastic member is not only put out of position in the mold, but is also deformed by the injection pressure of the resinous material. Accordingly, the rigid inner tube member and rigid outer tube member cannot be molded satisfactorily.